The Moldovan consumers pay monthly by over 50% more than necessary for electricity because Moldova purchases power from the Cuchurgan Power Plant not directly, but through a Transnistrian company that is controlled by Yevgheny Shevchuk and Vlad Plahotniuc, economic expert Sergiu Tofilat said in the talk show “Interpol” on TV 7 channel, quoted by IPN.

“This is “EnergoKapital”, which is an offshore company that acts as an intermediary between MoldGRES and Moldova. It was founded in Tiraspol last yearend. The Cuchurgan Power Plant asks 1.8 cents per kilowatt, while Moldova purchases the power at the price of 6.8 cents from the Transnistrian firm,” said Sergiu Tofilat.

According to the expert, by this scheme the Moldovan consumers are monthly robbed of US$12.5 million. “Moldova annually imports about 3 billion kilowatts of power, which means that the intermediary company earns annually approximately US$150 million,” he said.

Sergiu Tofilat also said that “EnergoKapital” was selected at a tender contest held by the Ministry of Economy.

In a TV program at the beginning of his tenure, Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet said he will ask for an investigation into the case concerning the intermediary company from Transnistria. “This firm has two employees, the director and the account, but is the second largest taxpaying company in Transnistria. We must terminate the contract with this intermediary as the Moldovan consumers are affected,” he stated.